132 



cerous emanations. My first object is to arrest the progress of 

 decomposition, and, therefore, of separation of the laminal 

 attachments, and of the connections of the horny and sensitive 

 soles. Under ordinary circumstances it is always difficult to 

 get antiseptic agents to act in a direct manner upon the decom- 

 posing tissues within the foot. 



In this case it is necessary to pare down the sole pretty free- 

 ly, to make two, three, or more small orifices for the entrance 

 of the antiseptic agents and the evacuation of the imprisoned 

 products of decomposition. 



The quarters should be expanded slightly, even where separ- 

 ation has taken place, for the same reasons that apply to the 

 sole. The foot should be saturated with antiseptics as early 

 as possible, as decomposition must be arrested before re-organ- 

 ization of the tissues can take place. The best antiseptic 

 stimulants I have found to be that of bi-chloride of mercury 

 found in the appendix. 



This and a charcoal poultice, will remove all fcetor from the 

 foot, and promote a healthy healing action in the affected parts 

 After a few days of this treatment, pressure — genial pressure — 

 must be procured upon the sole by the animals own weight 

 and the judicious packing of the sole with cotton-batting, satu- 

 rated with stimulant dressings. (See Appendix.) 



After a week the shoe should be re-set, redundancies of horn 

 removed, a new diagnosis instituted, and measures taken accor- 

 dingly upon the same general principles I have laid down. 

 Usually a strong leather sole made of boot-makers sole leather 

 and packing, and drawing on the shoe somewhat tightly, to 

 create pressure all over the sole will be necessary to promote 

 the cure. Usually a newly formed hoof will displace the old 

 shell, and then it is only a question of time and judicious shoe- 

 ing when the " old shall have passed away and all shall have 

 become new." 



